形態計測のためのメタノール・硝酸セルロースによる組織包埋法

Very recently we developed a new embedding medium, "Shiojirin-E", made chiefly of cellulose nitrate (Kawakami et al. 1995)^&;t;1\u272)>. During the course of its development, we noted that cellulose nitrate would be a very suitable embedding medium for morphometric analysis, especially because of its low and constant rate of contraction. But the highviscosity of this medium resulted in a very slow rate of infiltration. Therefore we sought to develop a new, better histological embedding medium for morphometric analysis based on information on the methanol-cellulose nitrate method by Seki (1937)^. After trial and error, we succeeded in our goal : The composition of the medium is as follows : cellulose nitrate 15.0g, methanol 78.6g, and others 6.4g (total of 100.00g). When the specimens are not so big, we can easily get 3-5 micron-thick sections like paraffin sections with complete non-contractibility. We believe that this new methanol-cellulose nitrate medium will be useful especially for histological morphometrical analysis

条虫類の糖脂質および糖夕ンパク質糖鎖解析

大卵裂頭条虫にもスピロメト系列糖脂質が存在することが明らかとなり，この糖脂質が擬葉目に特異的に存在することがわかった。免疫組織化学染色では，マンソン裂頭条虫と堀田裂頭条虫において反応に差が認められ，前者は成虫および幼虫とも外被に，堀田裂頭条虫では虫体全体に反応が認められた。Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) can be expected to be involved in the mediation of host-parasite interactions, as are functioning in bacterial and viral infection. In this context, we have been studying GSLs of cestodes to elucidate underlying biochemical mechanisms of parasitism. We previously reported unique GSLs, SEGLx and GalSEGLx, from the Pseudophyllidean tapeworms (Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense, D. hottai and Diplogonoporus balaenopterae). They were characterized by a carbohydrate structure Galβ1-4Glcβ-3Gal. We proposed a term "spirometosides" for glycolipids having this core. We also found the absence of these glycolipids in Cyclophyllidean tapeworms such as Hymenolepis diminuta and Dipylidium caninum. In this study, GSLs were isolated from adults of the other Pseudophyllidean tapeworm D. macroovatum. The purified GSLs were characterized by TLC-immunostaining with AK97 and proved that D. macroovatum also has spirometosides. This finding confirms that spirometosides have a taxonomical significance, being characteristic of Pseudophyllidea. We also found the glycoprotein having sugar chain same as "spirometosides" in these worms. Immunohistochemical examination showed that AK97 stained tegment of S. erinaceieuropaei, and almost tissues of D. hottai

Azacitidine Treatment Following Intensive Chemotherapy with Daunorubicin and Cytarabin for Acute Transformation in Myelodysplastic/Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Article信州医学雑誌 62(3):167-172(2014)journal articl

Myelodysplastic syndrome accompanied by basophilia and eosinophilia with t(5;12)(q31;p13)

The t(5;12)(q31not, vert, similar35;p12not, vert, similar13) is rare among cytogenetically categorized myeloid diseases. Here we describe a case of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with basophilia followed by leukocytosis, basophilia, and eosinophilia with t(5;12)(q31;p13).A 44-year-old man was referred to Tsukuba University Hospital in August 2005, due to severe anemia and thrombocytopenia. Peripheral blood examination showed hemoglobin 4.5 g/dL, with mean corpuscular volume 109 fL, platelets 73 × 109/L, and white blood cells 4.9 × 109/L with 23% basophils, 3% eosinophils, and 0% blasts. Bone marrow was slightly hypocellular, with trilineage dysplasia. Cytogenetic examination of the bone marrow cells revealed a normal karyotype, 46,XY. A diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome–refractory anemia with excess blasts type 2 (MDS-RAEB2) was made according to the WHO classification

A Highly Photostable Near-Infrared Labeling Agent Based on a Phospha-rhodamine for Long-Term and Deep Imaging

AbstractVarious fluorescence microscopy techniques require bright NIR‐emitting fluorophores with high chemical and photostability. Now, the significant performance improvement of phosphorus‐substituted rhodamine dyes (PORs) upon substitution at the 9‐position with a 2,6‐dimethoxyphenyl group is reported. The thus obtained dye PREX 710 was used to stain mitochondria in living cells, which allowed long‐term and three‐color imaging in the vis‐NIR range. Moreover, the high fluorescence longevity of PREX 710 allows tracking a dye‐labeled biomolecule by single‐molecule microscopy under physiological conditions. Deep imaging of blood vessels in mice brain has also been achieved using the bright NIR‐emitting PREX 710‐dextran conjugate

The protective effect of CD40 ligand–CD40 signalling is limited during the early phase of Plasmodium infection

Abstractγδ T cells are essential for eliminating Plasmodium berghei XAT. Because administration of the agonistic anti-CD40 antibody can induce elimination of P. berghei XAT parasites in γδ T cell-deficient mice, we considered that γδ T cells might activate dendritic cells via CD40 signalling during infection. Here we report that administration of the anti-CD40 antibody to γδ T cell-deficient mice 3–10days post-P. berghei XAT infection could eliminate the parasites. Our data suggest that dendritic cell activation via γδ T cells expressing CD40 ligand is critical during the early phase of infection

Redox equilibrium of serum apolipoprotein E3: a buffering effect of disulfide-linked complexes against oxidative stress on apolipoprotein E3–containing lipoproteins

Reversible redox modification of cysteine thiols is crucial for protecting proteins from irreversible detrimental change. However, the physiological significance of the redox modification of apolipoprotein (apo) E is unclear. Here, we hypothesized that the disulfide-linked complexes of apoE3 corresponding to the representative reversible-modified apoE3 play a protective role against oxidative stress. The effects of disulfide bond formation on oxidative stress on apoE3 were evaluated with a band-shift assay. Maleimide-labeled apoE3 and unlabeled apoE3 were defined as the reduced (r)-apoE3 and non-reduced (nr)-apoE3 forms, respectively. Hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidation decreased for reduced-form apoE (r-apoE3) but increased for nr-apoE3. Induction of apoE3-AII complex formation with excess of apoAII markedly suppressed the oxidative stress-induced increase in nr-apoE3 (P<0.001) and enhanced homodimer formation. The apoE3-AII complex was more dominant in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) than in very low-density lipoprotein. Under oxidative stress, HDL showed a significant decrease, rather than an increase, in nr-apoE3 levels with a concomitant significant increase in apoE3-AII levels (P<0.005). This finding suggests that the majority of nr-apoE3 in HDL exists in a reversible oxidized form. The apoE3-AII complex, formed from the reversible oxidized apoE3, is beneficial for maintaining the redox equilibrium of apoE3 by preventing the modification of apoE3 to its irreversible oxidized form. The apoE3-AII complex may be possibly implicated in the pathophysiology of various apoE-related diseases